Features - Industry Events

As part of his presentation during December’s Global Bed Bug Summit in Denver, Colo., presented by NPMA and BedBug Central, University of Kentucky researcher Dr. Michael Potter framed the next two day’s worth of discussions by asking this question: “Are we making progress?”

Perhaps the most accurate answer is “yes and no.” From the time these pests re-emerged in large numbers in the mid-2000s until today, the pest control community — including university researchers, pest management professionals and manufacturers — has made great strides in better understanding bed bug biology and behavior; refining training, policies and procedures (as well as business models); and introducing new and innovative products.

Despite these strides, bed bugs remain problem pest No. 1 for many pest management professionals. Potter cited a 2010 NPMA and University of Kentucky bed bug survey in which 76 percent of PMPs surveyed responded that bed bugs were THE most difficult pest to control; that same survey was repeated in 2013 and, again, 76 percent responded that bed bugs were THE most difficult pest to control. And bed bugs are being found in more non-residential areas. Again, Potter cited the NPMA/University of Kentucky bed bug surveys from 2010 and 2013 to illustrate this point (see graph on the right).

It’s for this reason that industry events like the previous Bed Bug Summits have served as great forums for opening dialogue and BedBug Central President Phil Cooper noted that partnering with NPMA for this year’s Summit has brought new participants and perspectives. During this year’s Global Bed Bug Summit, industry experts addressed the global bed bug challenge from a research, field and business perspective. Highlights included:

Refining bed bug business models to make this offering more profitable was the focus of a panel consisting of John Zimmerman, GM of Buffalo Exterminating, Orchard Park, N.Y.; Russ Ives, president, Rose Pest Solutions, Troy, Mich; and Phil Cooper, president, Cooper Pest Solutions, Lawrenceville, N.J. Zimmerman said Buffalo Exterminating re-examined what it could and couldn’t control when it came to bed bug costs. Some of the changes they instituted included: using propane gas heaters (which they found to be more efficient than electric); reducing follow-up visits from three to two; reducing the number of technicians for follow-up visits from two to one; and using handheld equipment to track results. Similarly, Ives said Rose Pest Solutions re-examined routing to keep down expenses associated with transporting heating equipment via truck/trailer. He also said three years ago Rose Pest Solutions brought its canine division in-house; previously, they outsourced canine inspections with mixed results. Cooper said his company has experienced similar challenges and made similar adjustments; for 2014, he said, the company is positioning itself to move from a reactive bed bug model to a recurring one, focusing largely on early detection, including the use of interceptor devices.

Industry consultant Larry Pinto led a session titled “Prepared for the Worst: What to Expect if Your Customer is Sued.” Pinto, an entomologist by trade, has been called as a witness in more than 30 cases. Among the advice he gave to PMPs was that they review their practices to ensure they provide “effective and reasonable service,” meaning they: act reasonably; don’t overpromise; use scientific, defensible tactics; have clear protocols and policies; do not mandate disposal; and define customer responsibilities. He also said they need to require reasonable preparation requirements.

A trio of pest management professionals — Judy Black (Steritech), Eric Braun (Rentokil) and Billy Tesh (PMi) — provided case studies of some of their most challenging bed bug jobs. Black related the story of Steritech treating a heavily infested hotel. Through some trial and error and vigilance, Steritech was able to get the infestation largely under control. However, weeks after the treatment the company was getting calls. Two areas near the end of the hall on the second and third floors of the building were particularly problematic. After repeatedly questioning the hotel staff, Black learned that these areas were where linens were dropped off at the hotel (the hotel used an outside service to launder certain items). It turns out the linen carts and vehicles transporting the linens were infested with bed bugs. Black said the lesson here is that many times you have to ask clients the same question several times in order to get all of the clues needed to pinpoint an infestation. Braun related a challenging residential account in which clutter was proving problematic for the company’s heat treatment. He said Rentokil used a 4-step approach to overcome this challenge: (1) arranging clutter to optimize airflow; (2) search for cold spots more frequently; (3) extending hold time; and (4) heating objects separately. Tesh discussed how his company overcame challenges of treating a severely infested 11-story multifamily building. It was a massive undertaking that required a significant amount of client cooperation. Tesh explained to his technicians that it was important they treat each of the residents with respect, and he thinks this went a long way toward securing their cooperation.

In addition to the many sessions, attendees had numerous networking opportunities and got a first-hand look at the latest bed bug products from leading manufacturers at the exhibit hall.

Features - Rodents & Mice

Eliminating the occasional mouse or rat around a building is typically not very difficult. But managing rodent infestations in commercial facilities under a wide variety of structural and environmental situations, while also providing a cost effective service to consumers, is often much more challenging.

The goal is not to kill individual rodents but rather to efficiently manage and, where possible, eliminate local rodent populations in an environmentally responsible fashion. This can only be done with both an applied approach using situational analysis, together with a sound understanding of the science behind rodent biology and behavior.

And no one is better suited to lead this master’s class in rodent best management practices than famed urban rodentologist Dr. Bobby Corrigan, president of RMC Pest Management Consulting, Richmond, Ind. A frequent speaker at industry educational events throughout the world, Dr. Corrigan is the author of “Rodent Control: A Practical Guide for Pest Management Professionals,” as well as a research scientist working on New York City’s war on rats.

For only $99 per person, attendees of the Advanced Rodent Control Virtual Conference will gain access to a half-day educational program that will surely advance their understanding of rodent biology, behavior and control. Bell Laboratories is a platinum sponsor; AP&G, Syngenta and Earth Care Products are gold sponsors of the event. Sponsorship opportunities are available. To learn more, contact PCT National Sales Manager Michael Kelly (757/233-4100) or Western Region Sales Manager Mike Zaverl (330/523-5380).

[In the News] Bee Health Update

Features - News Coverage

A new Oregon label requirement, children’s book, federal label delays, anti-pesticide consumer and trade ads and fipronil linked to urban honey bee deaths are all in the news. Here’s what you need to know.

On Nov. 21, the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) announced it will require a specific label statement on dinotefuran and imidacloprid products being sold or distributed in the state that prohibits the application of these products on linden, basswood or Tilia tree species. The label statement is a condition of annual product registration for 2014.

The move is in response to several bee kills in the state. In one incident, 50,000 bumblebees died in a Wilsonville, Ore., parking lot in June 2013 after dinotefuran was applied to linden trees. This led to an investigation and temporary suspension of neonicotinoid products. This event was instrumental in turning regulatory focus to the urban and suburban use of neonicotinoid products.

According to ODA, the tree species’ natural toxicity to bumblebees in combination with the pesticide contributed to the deaths. Taking the rare step of requiring an Oregon-specific label statement on pesticide products indicates the importance ODA places on protecting pollinators, reported the agency.

The announcement was made before ODA’s pesticide use investigations were complete, which were expected to wrap up in mid-December.

“I’m a little concerned they’ve decided what the policy outcome is going to be before the results of the investigation” are available, said Gene Harrington, government affairs director, National Pest Management Association.

For most PMPs, the decision is not going to be a big deal, Harrington said. Still, he said he’d like to see “bonafide data and rational information associated with a significant policy decision” opposed to a blanket announcement. At least to date, he hasn’t seen that; hopefully more information is forthcoming, he said.

ODA Director Katy Coba also sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requesting additional evaluation of neonicotinoids to determine if use limitations on a national basis should be considered.

In addition, ODA is putting more emphasis on pollinator protection in the testing and re-certification process for applicators to become licensed. Public outreach will include information on ODA’s website and materials distributed through master gardener programs and retail outlets.

Neonicotinoids Cited in New Children’s Book on Honey Bees and Colony Collapse Disorder

“The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees,” a book for children age 9 to 12, hit library shelves in November. It’s likely the first children’s book to mention neonicotinoid insecticides.

Written by Sandra Markle, an award-winning author of more than 200 books for kids, the hardcover uses insights by top scientists — including University of Illinois bee expert May Berenbaum — and stunning photographs to explore the causes of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

What is killing honeybees? Without dumbing-down the issues for young readers, Markle offers a balanced look at potential culprits: monoculture and lost foraging habitat, the cross-country transport and overworking of bees, poor nutrition, Varroa mites that transmit deadly viruses, the Nosema ceranae fungus that makes bees susceptible to viruses, and pesticides.

She describes how farmers switched to neonicotinoid pesticides in the mid-1990s, gaining widespread use.

“Scientists believed neonicotinoids were safe for bees, even though they are insects,” writes Markle. “That’s because bees were only exposed to small doses while collecting nectar and pollen from flowers. By 2009, though, many beekeepers and scientists around the world agreed that small doses may be all that’s needed to harm honeybees.”

The ad likely will run in subsequent issues, as well as in Greenhouse Product News, said Karen Reardon, vice president of public affairs, Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment, in a letter to RISE Consumer Advisory Council members. Advertising may be one way anti-neonicotinoid groups achieve visibility this winter as state legislatures begin filing bills for the 2014 session, she said.

SumOfUs has targeted neonicotinoid makers like Bayer with petitions and bus ads. In August, it rallied beekeepers and advocates to protest the use of “bee-killing pesticides” at the Independent Garden Show in Chicago. It also is petitioning big box stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot to stop selling neonicotinoid products or plants “pre-poisoned” with the pesticide.

People looking at bee health in a fair-minded manner know many factors are at play, said Gene Harrington, director of government affairs, National Pest Management Association. “Any group that fixates on one factor is really doing a disservice to the future of bee health.”

She cites research by Dr. Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman of the United States Department of Agriculture, who is studying how small doses of chemicals affect bees. DeGrandi-Hoffman believes exposure to pesticides might be at least partly to blame for bee deaths and colony losses, writes Markle.

The book offers a fascinating look at honey bees. It explains pollination and bees’ role in it; how bees collect nectar and pollen and turn them into honey and “beebread” to feed the hive. Markle explains the roles of queens, drones and worker bees, how workers change jobs through their lifetimes, and where beeswax comes from (the bees’ abdomen).

She explores how scientists are advancing hive health through high-protein diets and breeding “hygienic” bees, which are skilled at detecting and killing sick or mite-infested pupae. Some beekeepers found giving hives a winter rest, enjoyed by wild bees, resulted in fat, healthy bees and colony losses of 3 percent compared to the 55 and 75 percent losses of previous years.

Markle encourages young readers to become scientists and help solve the mystery of bee decline.

“There’s no harm in educating children as early as possible that bees are beneficial insects,” said Gene Harrington, government affairs director, National Pest Management Association.

The book could help pest management professionals start the dialogue about bee health in the classroom, said Karen Reardon, vice president of public affairs, Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment. “Notwithstanding the targeting of one product, it’s a discussion starter.”

Colony Collapse Disorder is a complex issue affecting managed honey bees, which most pest management professionals don’t deal with in urban and suburban environments. Still, PMPs must be knowledgeable and “ready with their facts,” Reardon said.

Fipronil Linked to Urban Honey Bee Deaths

In mid-September, thousands of honey bees were found dead outside three hives in the Kenwood neighborhood of Minneapolis. The cause: fipronil, according to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and University of Minnesota scientists.

If the pesticide was used as registered, the exposures likely occurred as a consequence of insect control around the foundation of a nearby home or building, wrote University of Minnesota bee expert Marla Spivak in the investigative report.

The colonies were in three close but separate locations. It’s likely the bees came into contact with pesticide residues on foundation plantings of bee-attractive flowers while foraging for nectar, pollen or water; then brought the chemical back to the colonies where it impacted other colony members, Spivak wrote.

The University of Minnesota Bee Lab and Bee Squad and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) collected two sets of bee samples from these colonies. Samples were sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Science Laboratory in Gastonia, N.C., for analysis. All of the dead bee samples from the three colonies and two of the three twitching bee samples tested positive for the presence of fipronil. In addition, a swab of the exterior of one hive tested positive for the fungicide carbendazim.

MDA determined no public entities applied pesticides in the affected neighborhood around the time of the bee kill. Because 540 residential homes make up the Kenwood neighborhood and the product could have been used by homeowners or commercial applicators, finding the exact source of the fipronil may be impossible, reported the agency. Because of this, MDA will not investigate further unless additional information is received.

Learning how the honey bees came in contact with fipronil would provide valuable information, wrote Spivak. “Knowing how and why fipronil was applied would give us insight as to how to mitigate negative impacts on beneficial insects such as honey bees and other pollinators.”

The presence of carbendazim on the exterior of one colony is another mystery, she wrote. Application by the homeowner has been ruled out; researchers need to look at other potential sources for its origin.

“Had these urban beekeepers not been maintaining honey bee colonies in these locations, we likely would have not learned about this serious negative impact of the use of fipronil in the area,” wrote Spivak. The impact of this incident on wild bee pollinators and other beneficial insects cannot be quantified, she wrote.

Media Campaign Runs Ads in New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times and More

Save-Bees.org, a coalition of four non-profit organizations (Beyond Pesticides, Center for Food Safety, Pesticide Action Network and Ceres Trust), embarked upon a national media campaign to address the decline in pollinators due to what they identify as “bee-harming pesticides.” Their efforts began in early December with full-page ads that ran in seven newspapers including the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Des Moines Register, the Boston Globe and Politico, a publication geared toward members of Congress and other policymakers. The ads call for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to impose an immediate moratorium on the use of neonicotinoids and direct readers to a website where they can encourage EPA to take such action. More than 60 businesses and non-profits are listed as advocacy supporters. The ads were timed to run in conjunction with the European Union’s two-year suspension of three neonicotinoid insecticides — clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam — which began Dec. 1.

Government Shutdown Delays New Pollinator Labels

EPA extended the date neonicotinoid products must contain new pollinator protection language to Feb. 28, according to Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment. The previous compliance date was Jan. 31.

The four-week delay was caused by the government shutdown, said Gene Harrington, director of government affairs, National Pest Management Association. He said the agency will still meet its timetable for getting new label language on products in the marketplace by the beginning of the growing season.

The shutdown also delayed a workshop for EPA officials hosted by NPMA and the Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials. The two-day event is being rescheduled for March or April, and will address bee health, industry use patterns of neonicotinoids and how to deal with pest bees.

NPMA would like the group to agree on a common definition of pollinators, Harrington said. The industry group prefers the term “bees” opposed to “pollinators,” which can include ants, moths and other insects. Bees also will need to be defined to ensure labels protect honey bees, for instance, not Africanized bees, he explained.

NPMA Issues Bee Health “Talking Points”

Editor’s note: NPMA published an “Industry Alert” in response to December’s media campaign by Save-Bees.org that urged a ban on neonicotinoids. NPMA provided the following statement to give the pest managment industry “talking points” about how to respond if questioned by customers about the ads.

Pollinators play an essential role in the nation’s food supply chain. We are dependent on bees, flies, moths and other insects to help pollinate crops. However, some of these insects — bees in particular — are also known to pose health and safety risks to the public. In fact, stinging insects send an estimated 500,000 people to the hospital every year. They are one of the leading causes of anaphylaxis-related deaths in the United States. In light of this, bees can be — and some government entities have deemed them — a public safety hazard.

So how do we, the American public, protect our families and our children, from these insects that are both vital and potentially harmful? The answer is carefully. The federal government, farmers, the professional pest management industry, and home and business owners must cooperate together to ensure effective tools are available to keep the public safe from stinging insects, yet do so in a manner that will enable pollinators to thrive in appropriate settings.

NPMA is working with the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), state regulators and other stakeholders equally committed to ensuring an appropriate balance exists between the safety of the American public and the essential role bees play in agriculture. Talking points include:

EPA and the USDA issued a report in 2012 that suggested factors influencing bee health may include “disease, arthropod pests [parasitic mites], pesticides, poor nutrition and beekeeping practices.” They identified the Varroa mite as “the single most detrimental pest of honey bees and can magnify the role of viruses.” Most scientists agree that declining bee health is a result of multiple factors.

Neonicotinoids are a very critical tool used by professional pest management applicators and an effective class of pesticides in controlling a host of pests including termites, ants and bed bugs.

Public health officials attribute the quality of life we have today to three things: better pharmaceuticals and vaccines, better sanitation and better pest control.

The professional pest management industry is committed to proper product stewardship. Recognizing the recent concern about pollinators, industry professionals have been extra diligent to ensure proper training related to pollinators is provided.

Professionals understand that bees should not be unnecessarily exposed to pesticides, unless they are the intended target for structural or public health reasons.

[Technical Hints] Hot Spots!

Features - Technically Speaking

Editor’s Note: The following was adapted from Techletter, a biweekly publication from Pinto & Associates, Mechanicsville, Md. To subscribe, visit www.techletter.com or call 301/884-3020

Restaurants, maybe more than other sites, are loaded with pest “hot spots” — those pockets of roaches or flies that you’ve missed, or places where treatment was ineffective because of poor sanitation, structural problems or unusual conditions.

What follows is a list of restaurant trouble spots that should be checked during each visit.

Floor Drains. Kitchen workers often clean up by mopping food debris into floor drains. These drains should be flushed clean every night, but rarely are. Drains also should have grates or screens. Food and crud in the drains provide food for cockroaches, fruit flies and drain flies. A lip around the inside of many floor drains provides a hiding place for roaches.

Portable Tray Racks. In cafeterias, plastic trays are stored horizontally in wheeled tray racks. The tray racks are themselves stored together, usually in a separate room or section. Often they’re left unwashed overnight, full of spilled soft drinks and food waste. Tray racks are rarely steam-cleaned as often as they should be, and provide food and hiding places for cockroaches.

Unused Equipment. Every kitchen has an old dough mixer or oven that has been out of commission for as long as anyone can remember. Unused equipment might be hidden under a drop cloth or used for storage and becomes “invisible” to the cleaning crew and pest control technician. It needs to be cleaned and inspected so that it doesn’t become a quiet harborage for pests like cockroaches.

Dishwashing Machinery. Whether located in a separate dish room or in the kitchen, dishwashing machinery is the core of many pest problems. High temperature and humidity are conducive conditions for cockroaches, and along with detergents, will quickly break down most pesticides.

Dishwashing machinery is full of nooks and crannies where food debris can accumulate, which might not be cleaned up by the restaurant’s night crew. Worse, dirty dishes are sometimes left for morning cleanup. In the evening, cockroaches and mice come out of their hiding places in machinery, table legs, pipe runs, drop ceilings, door frames and wall voids to feast on the day’s scraps.

[Customer Service] Who’s Answering Your Telephone?

Features - Customer Service & Relations

Without a doubt, your telephone is your No. 1 most valuable tool to help you secure new customers and new business. But it can be ... and often is ... a costly liability!

Virtually all of your marketing and advertising is designed for one purpose — to persuade someone to pick up the phone and call you. If you blow the call, you have wasted a lot of time and effort for naught.

Fact #1.

When a prospect is calling around trying to find a company to do business with, he or she is most likely to go with the one that captures them in the FIRST conversation!

When I owned my pest control business and was in the office every day, I was quick to answer the telephone. I can’t tell you the number of times someone would say to me, “You are the first person I’ve talked with who actually took the time to answer my questions and explain to me what I need to do. The other people I spoke with weren’t interested in helping me. They just wanted to schedule an appointment to send someone to my home.”

And guess who got the business. It was the person they felt was SINCERELY interested in HELPING them solve their problem.

Fact #2.

If you have the wrong person answering your phone, it is costing you sales and new business each and every day.

The person answering your telephone should:

Have an outgoing personality

Be a genuine people person

Be patient

Be sympathetic

Be empathetic

Be compelling

Be hypnotic

Be WELL TRAINED...and then trained some more

Be knowledgeable about your products/service and be skilled at selling them

Understand the law of reciprocity and how to use it to get people to say YES

Understand how to schedule an appointment without pressure

Be willing to listen for a long time

Be able to handle major stress with a smile and a wink

Be a take-charge person when it is necessary

Understand that, once a prospect hangs up the phone, if there was no help given and no problem resolved, the odds of you hearing back from them again is drastically reduced.

I once hired a young woman as an office assistant. Her main job was to answer the phone. She was the least qualified of all the others I interviewed. I asked her, “Why should I hire YOU when you are the least qualified?”

Her answer was exactly what I was looking for. She said, “Because I can light up the people on the other end of that phone. I don’t care how mad or upset they might be. I can put a smile on their faces. I can make them believe that your company is the greatest pest control company in the world.”

And I knew that if she could to that, it would be putting money in the bank!

Bottom Line.

You might need to take a closer look…and a L-O-N-G listen…to who is answering your telephones. They are either making you money or costing you money. If it’s the latter, you need to give them another job or replace them with someone who represents you and your company the way you want and need to be represented.